Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-07-15
THE WIDOWS PARROT.
He Falls from Grace and Becomes Shocking
ly Deprayed Bird.
New Haven Register

dllS lTpIu DI1Ct anu becomes Il SnNSk
" Deprayed Bird.
New Haven Register
Mrs. Lucre:ia Bemis is widow. He-
husband was sea captain, and when he
died, about fifteen years ago, he left his
wife, among other worldly goods, a large
green parrot, versatile alike in plumage
and IN conversational powers. This par
| rot was named Nepsune-a modest tribute
to the misunderstanding deity whose domain
| had been trayersed SO often by old Capt.
bsmls. The Widow Bemis enjoys the
reputation of devoutly religious woman
"a woman whose conversation and deeds
are marked by singular piety. Since
| the demise of her beloved husband she
has layished the wealth of her affections
upon the parrot Neptune, and has devot-
ed much time to teaching the bird religi-
! Gus hymns and phrases.
The Folsom boys live next door to Mrs.
Bemis. There are three of them, and
they are Is, Is, and 19 years old respec-
lively. Their father is q blacksmith, and
he Is an industrious man, but these three
boys are so wondrouSly shiftless that they
appear 10 have given themselves over,
! body and soul, to the devices of Satan.
About month ago these abandoned
youths turned their diabolical attention
| TO the begulling of Widow Bemis' parrot
into sinful ways. From their back-door
| step they held artful discourse with the
! parrot as he perched in the window of the
! second story back room, and ere long
they taught the guileless and unsuspect-
ing bird divers ribald words, profane ex-
| pletlyes, and wicked phrases likely to
| cause blush OF shame, If not thrill of
| horror, when heard in polite society.
| Last Saturday the Widow Bemis hap
| pened to hear the parrot ex plode an oath,
and to parish him for the shocking offense
the pro- per dame locked him up in the
| garnet for several days and fed him moth
| ing but dry bread. Tuesday she believed
him sufficiently punished, and she brought
| him down into the sitting room. The
| detected countenance he wore and the
melancholy droop of his tail feathers con-
WINGED Mrs. Bemis that Neptune was truly
| penitent, and thereat the good lady much
rejoiced.
Tuesday evening the regular old folks
| prayer meeting was held at Mrs. BsmIs,
| and the attendance was somewl at larger
than usual. The ceremonies had reached
the most impressive point when the par
| rot, who had maintained gloomy silence
all day, circulated suddenly and in harsh,
| ulSCO1udub TONES, mats. III WOulu De
| hard to conceive of an interruption more
NAL apropos, more shocking. The Widow
Bemis made plunge for the the deprav-
ed bird, with the intention of incarcerat-
ing him again in the garnet, but, as if he
foresaw her design, the parrot ripped
out a volley of oaths so prodigiously
shocking that the Widow Bemis fell back
and over on the floor and lay there like
one dead.
Old Mr.. Sawyer made pass at Nep,
tune with his cane, but all he did was to
knock some veneering off the haircloth
sofa. The profane bird thereupon open,
ed out on Mr.. Sawyer, and the hldeous
expletives he rasped out drove that
worthy old gentleman into ar apoplectiC
fit. 1t seemed as if the bird had become
possessed of seven devils; at any rate
never before had the ears of his auditors
been burdensd wiA such foodtide OF
ribaldry and profanity as he laun ed
out from his perch at the back of the
haircloth sofa.
The Widow Bemis swore out warrant
against the Folsom boys yesterday, anc
Justice Kerston will hear both sides OF
the interesting story. The widow claim:
that the boys have corrupted her parro
to such degree that he no longer de
lights in goodness, but takes pleasure
only In heathenish practice and slnfu
conversation.